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Helena Silves
Helena Silves (1962-) was President of Brazil from 2019, succeeding Brenda Gandara and preceding Carlos Denholm. Silves took up a classical liberal approach to the country's problems, supporting the abolition of several government programs until the economy began to recover, upon which she supported environmentalist efforts. The economy began to recover to positive levels by the end of her premiership, but the Brazilian Labor Party destroyed her reputation with attack ads targeting her refusal to raise taxes and her reliance on abolishing government programs instead. At the next general election, the PTB and the PSDB returned to the forefront of politics as the Progressistas' power waned. Biography Helena Silves was born in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil in 1962, and she worked as an ethics professor before becoming involved in politics with the conservative-liberal Progressistas party. She was elected to the Chamber of Deputies in 2000, and she rose in the ranks before becoming party leader. In 2019, she took advantage of popular discontent with leftist infighting in the Chamber of Deputies to lead her party to an electoral victory, winning 21.03% of the popular vote and 8 seats, making the PP the largest party in the country. In the ensuing presidential election, she won 61.6% of the vote to PSDB leader Luiz Natansky's 38.4%, becoming the next President. Presidency Early in Silves' presidency, the bus transport service was restored after a referendum overwhelmingly supported it. The Chamber voted 30-2 to abolish arts subsidies, 19-15 to abolish the land tax, 19-13 to abolish the bus transport service, and 28-9 to abolish party funding. An economic boom occurred late in the year, and national parks were restored after an 18-14 vote, while an air pollution monitor was approved after a 16-13 vote. Despite the PP's objections, the Chamber passed a port tax after a 19-16 vote. The February 2020 elections saw the PTB become the largest party with 23.10% of the vote and 9 seats, while the PP placed in second with 21.35% and 9 seats, the PSDB in third with 18.26% and 7 seats, the PMDB in fourth with 14.55% and 6 seats, the PT in fifth with 13.97% and 6 seats, and the PDT in sixth with 8.77% and 3 seats. The ensuing presidential election saw Silves defeat PTB leader Raquel Agusto with 54.1% of the vote to her 45.9%. The Chamber voted 29-8 to approve a nuclear test site, 16-13 in favor of an alcohol tax, 19-14 against a coffee tax, 18-14 in favor of a land tax, 23-2 to abolish universal healthcare, 20-15 in favor of the death sentence, 19-17 against highway tolls, 33-4 in favor of a bank tax, 20-12 to abolish the postal service, 33-3 to abolish the air pollution monitor, 18-16 to abolish the stamp duty, 24-11 to approve an income tax, and 20-6 to approve an alcohol tax. In March 2021, the PTB won the general election, winning 25.34% of the vote and 10 seats, followed by the PSDB with 17.62% and 7 seats, the PMDB with 17.03% and 7 seats, the PT with 16.66% and 7 seats, the PP with 15.97% and 6 seats, and the PDT with 7.38% and 3 seats. Silves, upset with the results, stepped down in favor of Carlos Denholm, who then defeated PTB leader Mariana Ribeiro 56.2% to 43.8%. Category:1962 births Category:Brazilian politicians Category:Brazilians Category:Politicians Category:Catholics Category:Progressistas members Category:Brazilian conservatives Category:Conservatives Category:Brazilian presidents Category:Presidents